FMP Project sheets

The Sickle Cell Highway

Throughout my final major project, it involved a lot of development. From the beginning when concentrating on research and finding imagery that related to sickle cell anemia, I was forced to develop the imagery to make it into my own design. I looked at many different ways that I could develop a sickle cell haemoglobin molecule. I also looked at ways that could develop sickle cell red blood cells. I looked at different ways that I could combine them together. I achieved this by using the laser cutter to cut out different shapes, in different sizes and materials. I looked at ways that I could interlock them together so create a structure and all is recorded on my sketchbook.

Group reviews and one-to-one tutorials really helped within the progression of my final design. As my structure is for the public, it was good to get advice as to what people are attracted to. This made it easier for me to design a successful design. There are a few things that I would change about my approach to my final major project. The main thing I would change is time management. During the final two weeks of completing my project. Throughout the final major project, everything didn’t go to plan which made me worry about my final design. I found it difficult to work with hardly any imagery to convey sickle cell anaemia. This meant that I was restricted. However I was able to play around with the imagery that I did have to develop it into a final design idea. I feel like this made my project a little more challenging however it allowed me to think outside the box. Overall I feel that my outcome was very successful however there was still room for improvement. If given extra time I could have experimented a few different ways to construct the final design.

I also thought it would be interesting to include some facts and figures about sickle cell anemia on the top of my first sheep to grab the readers attentions also to help educate the about it. I found some very interesting statistics in the UK. There are estimated to be between 12,500 and 15,000 people in the UK with the disease and more than one in nine of the population are carriers. In the main, sickle cell is found in people whose families come from the Caribbean, Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and Asia, but carriers are also being found in the white population as a result of intermixing many generations ago. Although numbers are very low, they indicate that sickle cell disease can no longer be regarded as confined to specific sections of the population and highlight the importance of antenatal and newborn screening. The NHS's newborn screening programme, which has covered the whole of England since 2006, shows that sickle cell is increasingly present anywhere in the country and not just confined to areas of London and the West Midlands, where Afro-Caribbean families have traditionally settled. There are, however, still high concentrations in certain London boroughs such as Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark where there are an estimated 3,000 cases, 600 of them children.  

  

Review

REVIEW OF FINAL MAJOR PROJECT (FMP)

 

Student Name: Gillian Nsianguana                               Pathway: 3DD

 

Final Major Project Title: Sickle Cell Awareness



For my final outcome I designed a structure that promotes sickle cell awareness. Throughout my final, major project I researched what sickle cell anemia is to get a clearer idea of it. I looked at sickle cell red blood cells and sickle cell haemoglobin molecules. Using all of my research I was able to come up with a design whereby I combined all of the research that I had collected. I then looked at imagery of the blood flow within a sickle cell patient. This really interested me to find out that Sickle cells are stiff and sticky. They tend to block blood flow in the blood vessels of the limbs and organs. This really interested me as I wanted to visually convey this movement. Looking at the works of Carston Holler helped support my idea. Through my structure I wanted to create an experience for the people in the same way Carston holler did with the slide in the TATE Modern Art Gallery.

Through this project I have been exploring sickle cell. I have been using imagery of cells and have recorded it throughout my sketchbook how I have developed it and experimented with different machines like the laser cutter. The final major project plan has helped me stay on track with everything. My blog has made it easier for me to look back at what I have done as it is much clearer than my sketchbook.

I was able to visit art galleries and exhibitions during my spare time. I was able to carry out a sickle cell survey, and the facts and figures were very interesting. More people were un aware as to what sickle cell actually was and the people that did know only knew because a member of their family has it.

Throughout my final major project, it involved a lot of development. From the beginning when concentrating on research and finding imagery that related to sickle cell anemia, I was forced to develop the imagery to make it into my own design. I looked at many different ways that I could develop a sickle cell haemoglobin molecule. I also looked at ways that could develop sickle cell red blood cells. I looked at different ways that I could combine them together. I achieved this by using the laser cutter to cut out different shapes, in different sizes and materials. I looked at ways that I could interlock them together so create a structure and all is recorded on my sketchbook.

Group reviews and one-to-one tutorials really helped within the progression of my final design. As my structure is for the public, it was good to get advice as to what people are attracted to. This made it easier for me to design a successful design. There are a few things that I would change about my approach to my final major project. The main thing I would change is time management. During the final two weeks of completing my project. Throughout the final major project, everything didn’t go to plan which made me worry about my final design. I found it difficult to work with hardly any imagery to convey sickle cell anaemia. This meant that I was restricted. However I was able to play around with the imagery that I did have to develop it into a final design idea. I feel like this made my project a little more challenging however it allowed me to think outside the box. Overall I feel that my outcome was very successful however there was still room for improvement. If given extra time I could have experimented a few different ways to construct the final design.

 

  

Final design

Final outcome.

 

I feel that my final outcome was extremely successful because with all the information that I gathered about sickle cell anemia, the design was a combination of that. however I do believe that there is room for improvement. For the reason that in researching sickle cell anemia there wasn’t enough imagery to represent sickle cell and that it was I planned to focus on the most. This made it a little bit difficult for me to come up with any design ideas.

 

 

I got a lot  useful feedback from my tutors and peers about the way I should go about designing it before I constructed it. I constructed my model with wood because however it was difficult to think of material I would use in the real world. My final design was far too complicated and difficult to construct in real life, so I asked my tutor for advice. He advised me to just make it and experiment using different materials. I was able to experiment on Cardboard, Hardboard and Polypropylene. He also told me to look at existing structures that are similar to mine. A lot of decorative structures outside of shops like B&Q or Homebase have a few structures in from of it made out of plywood. so plywood is an option. My tutor also showed me some stone sheets. These looked very interesting. I was lucky that my tutor had a few samples so I was able to feel the texture of it, however I was not able to use it to experiment on it.

 

I began to play around on Photoshop to bring my model to life. using the colours of the haemoglobin molecule, I was able  to colour the molecules in. This makes the structure much more striking and attractive to the eye. A lot of my peers advised me to include bright colours and within researching about sickle cell anemia and coming across these haemoglobin molecules, I was able to directly use the for and colours to create this! I feel that this is successful. however what does bother me is that I didn't incorporate the shape of the sickle cell red blood cells and I feel that that design is much more obvious in relation to sickle cell anemia. However my tutors are very pleased with my final outcome and feel that it demonstrates my concept very well!

 

Final design ideas

 

Queens Hospital - Romford

 

The architect found the semi-circular layout offered more advantages than a square, triangular, cruciform or Y-shaped plan. This building was complete in 2007, and is viewed as modern architecture. I decided to use this location for my final outcome. why? Because the outer circular glass panel structured walkway offers me a frame for my structure. I intend to cover the whole section with this structure.

 

I looked at this pavilion in Hong Kong. this is the type of thing I would like to achieve using the sickle cell molecules. I want to look at ways in which I can create some sort of pavilion to reflect the blood vessel of sickle cell anaemia.

 

Looking at the works of Cartson Holler in particular the slide, I would like to create a journey within my structure to create the idea of how the blood flows within the body. instead of the red blood cells flowing firmly and consistently Sickle cells are stiff and sticky. They tend to block blood flow in the blood vessels of the limbs and organs. Blocked blood flow can cause pain and organ damage. It can also raise the risk for infection.

 

within my structure I would like to visually create this. using the main entrance of the building, people must walk through this structure. I looked at way in which I can create a bridge type structure that represents the blood vessel.

 

Figure A shows normal red blood cells flowing freely in a blood vessel. The inset image shows a cross-section of a normal red blood cell with normal hemoglobin. Figure B shows abnormal, sickled red blood cells blocking blood flow in a blood vessel. The inset image shows a cross-section of a sickle cell with abnormal (sickle) hemoglobin forming abnormal strands.

Below is a rough idea of what I intend to construct. sadly I am not able to draw exactly what I would like to construct so I used all of research as a guide. With this type of project my tutor advised me to continuously construct things, this made it easier for me to construct my final outcome as it allowed me to see what worked as opposed to what didn't work.

More Research

 

This is an image of Melbourne's Webb Bridge. As you approach the south bank, the hoops regain their intensity and evolve into a filigree cocoon. This gradation of pattern was intended to create a life, a moment in time.

The existing remnant Webb Dock Rail Bridge and its new connection to the south bank, become a unified sculptural form. The resulting structure suggests a new connection, or a knot, between the old and new, past and future. From afar, it is perceived as an object that becomes, in turn, a place of action and transition as one uses it. The new Webb Bridge allows users to appreciate the surrounding views and activities along the river and can be used as a destination in its own right, as well as a meeting point, or simply, a place of leisurely contemplation. As an object, it appears as a delineated structure, a sensuous volume, light and linear. Space is seen as atmospheric, dynamic and transitional.

As I was looking at this structure it instantly reminded me of a sickle cell blood cell. I intend to develop my design into something similar to this, the webbed structure allowed me to visualise sickle cell red blood cells and or haemoglobin molecules attached on to it.

 

Goldsmiths university

 

The new Ben Pimlott Building, named after the former Warden of Goldsmiths. it was designed by Alsop & Partners, the flagship seven-storey structure, provides purpose-built teaching space within the New Cross campus. One of my peers, when in a group tutorial advised me look at this structure on top of Goldsmiths university as she felt that the design linked very well with what I would like to do. This was really helpful as it made me look at the design as a who and how the architect successfully placed this design on top of the building. at first I intended to create something like this however as I began to research further about sickle cell anemia my idea began to broaden.

This is a haemoglobin sickle cell molecule. Sickle cell disease is a group of disorders that affects hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body. People with this disorder have atypical hemoglobin molecules called hemoglobin S, which can distort red blood cells into a sickle, or crescent, shape.

This alone looks already like a design idea that can easily be developed. its colourful and a unique shape that when multiplied or slightly transformed a structure can easily be made out of it.

Experiments and Developments

I have been looking at ways in which I can portray sickle cell anaemia through imagery. I have been looking at cells and molecules that relate to sickle cell. looking at as sickle cell haemoglobin I thought that it was everything I was looking for. its colourful and very eye catching. so I decided to break up the molecules and rearrange them to crate a structure. I looked at ways in which I can join these molecules together to still give off the same affect.

 

using the laser cutter I was able to cut out multiple haemoglobin sickle cells. these alone were joint together to create some form of structure.

at this moment in time I'm still stuck with deciding what my final outcome would be. what king of structure and how will I convey sickle cell.

 

I have been taking pictures from different angles and view points to help me think of different ways in which I can form a structure.

I was forced to develop the imagery to make it into my own design because of the limited imagery given that relates to sickle cell anemia. I looked at many different ways that I could develop a sickle cell haemoglobin molecule. I also looked at ways that could develop sickle cell red blood cells. I looked at different ways that I could combine them together. I achieved this by using the laser cutter to cut out different shapes, in different sizes and materials. I looked at ways that I could interlock them together so create a structure and all is recorded on my sketchbook.

 

 

I began to do some rough sketches as to what I would like to design. I got the idea of some sort of tunnel because of the sickle cell blood vessel. Sickle cells are stiff and sticky. They tend to block blood flow in the blood vessels of the limbs and organs. I would like to visually express this through my final design.

I was able to get cheap materials like cardboard and paper to construct little models. However the models didn’t turn out as planned but it was a good experiment to get an idea of what I would like my final outcome to look like. I was able to consider what material I would like to use in the real world. I would like to use tactile material. For the final outcome I was able to buy MDF wood which was a reasonable price. I was able to develop and finalise my most successful design. At this point I knew exactly what I was doing.

 

 

I was given constructive feedback throughout my develop stages in order to make my designs better. I was advised my teacher to play around with multiple shapes and just by simply scanning it in and playing around with it on Photoshop, I could look at ways of manually duplicating them. I was then advised to begin constructing something so I used the laser cutter to cut out several molecules and cells.